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Christownsme
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I never put it together that lithium may be causing my blunt emotions. What other meds are like lithium that might not cause such blunt affect?
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I am sorry to hear that. How long have you been on it?
Lithium has changed my emotions from sharp and inappropriate at all times to manageable, realistic and fairly well controlled. I don't know that they are normal but they don't bring me into the depths of despair and up into overly-everything like the first 36 years of my life.
I will say that the first time I tried Lithium about 8 years ago the one thing I didn't like was that my emotions were "flat" compared to what I was used to. This is because my "norm" was way more intense that what people without bipolar experience. I convinced myself to stop taking it after about 6 months, and, well, I wish I wouldn't have.
This time I reached such a terrible place unmedicated. I could not focus on God, I could not get out of that dark place that I get to. I felt that God was working in my life but that I was broken and not capable of being the christian He wanted me to be.
Just something to think about.
There are other meds, but if they are used as mood stabilizers, well, they may have the same effect.
Lithium has changed my emotions from sharp and inappropriate at all times to manageable, realistic and fairly well controlled. I don't know that they are normal but they don't bring me into the depths of despair and up into overly-everything like the first 36 years of my life.
I will say that the first time I tried Lithium about 8 years ago the one thing I didn't like was that my emotions were "flat" compared to what I was used to. This is because my "norm" was way more intense that what people without bipolar experience. I convinced myself to stop taking it after about 6 months, and, well, I wish I wouldn't have.
This time I reached such a terrible place unmedicated. I could not focus on God, I could not get out of that dark place that I get to. I felt that God was working in my life but that I was broken and not capable of being the christian He wanted me to be.
Just something to think about.
There are other meds, but if they are used as mood stabilizers, well, they may have the same effect.
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Christownsme
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I've been on lithium for 14 years. Wow, you say you couldn't focus on God and that you were in a dark place, not being capable of the Christian he wanted you to be while you were unmedicated... I already feel that way, and I'm medicated. My level is usually 1.0 or so. I don't know about reducing to a lower blood level of 0.8 maybe, but I certainly don't want to make things worse.
Thanks for your response.
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Loven God
Regular Member
I would talk to your phdoc and let him or her know what is going on and how you feel . then they can make the right changes for you to try . you may have to try many before you find the right one or a mix for meds to work for you . I have to have a mix because just one does not work for me . I will be praying for you .
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I don't mean to misrepresent reality. I like any christian have ups and downs. Lithium didn't make my faith, I already had faith I just could not process information in the correct context, you know? I just mean that without the med, I could not EVER focus or care or anything, I just couldn't "pull it together", but with it, I had a better time of it.
It hasn't made anything perfect. It has allowed me to start on a level playing field so to speak.
You know, if you've been on it 14 years and still feel this way, maybe you should look to changing or as the above poster mentioned, combining. There are newer meds that work well for bipolar. In fact, some doctors don't even start new diagnosed bipolar on lithium anymore, but they use the newer agents topamax keppra tegretol etc.
God bless
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Trailltrader
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Lithium is good in that it is effective. However, it does cause weight gain.
I've been on Divalproex 1500mgs per day and its a sodium based medicine. Been on it now for a year or so and it is effective. Blood draws every 6 months to make sure I don't get lethal build ups however- same as lithium.
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Oaksfan4ever
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My psychiatrist is wanting to talk to my doctor about putting me on Lithium!! Right now he has me on Abilify!!
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Christownsme
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I got some test results back, and I had a toxic lithium level of 1.3. My dose has been reduced and I do feel better. I feel clearer headed. Able to make better choices. It doesn't increase my faith, of course, but it just makes more tolerable.
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Trailltrader
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Good deal they found it and reduced it! At least you can urinate it out- I've got a friend who works on nuclear reactors and the blood levels of cadmium and lead are very high- and if it gets much higher they'll have to medically retire him permantely.
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Oaksfan4ever
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My seizure doctor put me on that a few weeks ago & it really helped. I had to stop taking it though because I was having an allergic reaction to it. I can feel the difference!!
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I never found meds that didn't mess me up and they tried just about everything. I wouldn't go on some of the new meds they have and my husband is on a dandy that causes all kinds of weird withdrawals.
I found fish oil and vitamin B prior to us marrying. High dosage of the fish oil (3,000 mg.)and it works. There was a doctor doing studies and she found that she could treat depression, anxiety, bipolar and some forms of schizophrenia successfully with fish oil and vitamin B.
She had them on higher doses but the Lord also worked on me with my diet and I was getting more there.
You can definitely tell if I'm NOT on it!!! Takes about a week when initially starting it to level out, but you can still feel, just not the high highs and low lows.
My therapist totally supports me in this. He's seen me when I'm off of it. In fact, after I'd been on it awhile, I had gotten away from it and crashed. He was shocked at the difference.
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Oaksfan4ever
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My psychiatrist put me on Lithium last week. The main change I can tell right now is that I'm tired a lot more than I was before!!
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Lithium caused me to gain a lot of water.
They did tell me after I came off of it to never ever reduce my salt intake. They are right. When I am low on salt I can tell.
I'm not the only one that has been told that.
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